Creating a family social media policy

The ongoing conversation in our home about how to use social media — and in particular, how to do so in a way that is both safe and enjoyable for our kids — has helped us evolve a de facto social media policy governing how we engage with social media as a family. I decided it was time to go from de facto to actual, recorded policy. Use our policy as a jumping-off point for your own.

The Lonely Princess: A Social Media Fairy Tale

This entry is part [part not set] of 39 in the series 40 years online

Wondering how you can get your kids to think about the pros and cons of social media and social networking? This fairy tale introduces the joys of life online and the stakes of choosing between different online communities.

Facebooking the kids: 12 Dos & Don’ts

This entry is part [part not set] of 4 in the series Facebooking the kids

Facebook can be a great way to share your family news with a small circle of friends — if you’re smart about using privacy settings. This post rounds up the recommendations from my series on Facebooking the kids.

10 ways your smartphone will help you travel with kids

It was 9:15 a.m., and the Eiffel Tower had barely opened for the day. Nonetheless, we faced a 90-minute line-up before our two young kids — ages 4 and 6, respectively — would get to take the trip up the tower that they had been begging for since the moment...

On Oprah.com: 6 ways to be a better parent online

If it takes a village to raise a child, that village no longer needs to be defined by the place you happen to live. This post for Oprah.com shows how to find online support to help you be a better parent online and offline.

The geek’s guide to child-proofing: how to keep your tech safe from baby

With the wisdom earned from six years’ of childraising, two destructive children and four or five figures’ worth of maimed technology, I’d like to weigh in on the neglected side of childproofing. Because once you’ve figured out how to keep your baby safe from your stuff, it’s time to figure out how to keep your stuff safe from baby.